1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wire connector that crimps, solders, and seals a pair of wires together.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Many devices have been proposed to electrically connect two wires together when the wires are in an end-to-end orientation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,836 to Delalle et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,932 to Young et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,354 to Lhomme, U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,179 to Soni, U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,995 to Arenz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,921 to Simpson, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,404 to De Groef et al., are all examples of such electrical connection devices.
These and other devices in the art suffer from one or more drawbacks. Many devices are relatively complex in construction making them expensive to manufacture and difficult to use. Some devices provide a relatively weak electrical connection that can, over time, fail. Some devices, although providing a sufficiently strong electrical connection, provide a relatively weak mechanical connection that can, over time, fail, resulting in failure of the electrical connection.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a wire connector that electrically connects two wires in end-to-end orientation that overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks. Specifically, such a wire connector must be of relatively simple design and construction, must provide a solid electrical as well as mechanical connection of the two wires, and must be easily installed. Ideally, the wire connector will also provide a good insulation seal about the wire connection point.